NOVEL WEB Chapter 297: I Want to See a Lawyer!
"Perfect Life Rewards Chart"
—— Exclusively crafted by Minamoto Tamako for Fushimi Roku!
Basic Rules:
1. Daily check-in tasks must be completed by 23:59 on the same day, or they will expire.
2. The Mystery Prize requires 30 consecutive days of check-ins (allowing for 3 interruptions, but Rabbit Coins are needed to fill in).
3. Officer Tamako holds the final interpretation rights and reward modification rights.
...
Fushimi Roku squinted his eyes and glanced at the chart, it looked exactly like those daily login tasks of cash-heavy games in his previous life, requiring daily check-ins, sweeping floors, taking out the trash, being on time for work, and practicing Sword Dao... Completing the check-in would allow him to claim the daily reward.
The reward was a stamp mark, placed in the blank space of the chart, signifying Fushimi Roku's successful check-in.
This person even imitated him, claiming that one stamp could be exchanged for a small pudding, housekeeping service, foot massage service, and so on.
These services used to be free because Minamoto Tamako couldn't afford the rent, but now it's different. She got promoted to an intern criminal police, her salary increased, and she has some savings, paying a few months' rent is not an issue, so from now on her special services can only be exchanged with stamps!
If it was just like this, then that would be fine, but Minamoto Tamako even copied his baiting method, claiming that if you check in continuously for thirty days, you'll win a super grand prize—no matter what Mr. Fu Jian asks for, she will agree.
At the end of the chart, this person also arrogantly left a sentence:
"Want my promise? Then use thirty days of sweat to exchange for it!"
—— Minamoto Tamako Stamp · Zhu Wen "Justice Execution" Stamp.
"..."
Fushimi Roku had a complex expression.
Every time he thought he understood Minamoto Tamako's learning speed, she would refresh his knowledge again.
"How about it?" Minamoto Tamako wiped her nose with her index finger, somewhat proud: "Feeling tempted? This is the first day of implementation. I give you a special benefit; as long as you start the investigation now, you'll be considered to have checked in for one day!"
Frankly speaking, Fushimi Roku was indeed somewhat tempted. Instead of racking his brain for Minamoto Tamako to confess actively, it might be better to accumulate thirty stamps and let Minamoto Tamako reveal her feelings—clearly, the latter was more straightforward and would not end up with unexpected situations.
But Fushimi Roku also knew in his heart that these rewards were set to control him, deliberately baiting him.
Indeed, once a person desires something, they will have a handle.
"Looks nice, but unfortunately, I'm not very interested," Fushimi Roku turned over and lay on his back on the sofa: "I cooked today and twisted my right foot, really can't walk."
Upon hearing this, Minamoto Tamako frowned.
She had long anticipated Fushimi Roku's resistant mentality; this guy is a stubborn tsundere, very concerned about face, and definitely wouldn't accept this easily. She had already prepared herself for a long persuasion talk with Mr. Fu Jian.
But she never thought Mr. Fu Jian would use a foot injury as an excuse.
With Mr. Fu Jian's skills, would he twist his foot while cooking?
Is it really just a sprain?
Could it be a cover for a gunshot wound on his calf...
Minamoto Tamako grew more and more flustered, her face gradually turned pale, and even her gaze toward Fushimi Roku became different.
"Spr-sprained? Let me check it for you..."
Saying that she put down the chart and stamp, leaned beside the sofa, and reached out to roll up Fushimi Roku's pant leg. Of course, Fushimi Roku wouldn't cooperate; he twisted his butt, struggling back and forth, muttering about 'men and women shouldn't touch,' 'revealing legs makes him dishonest'... Minamoto Tamako couldn't take it anymore, reached out forcibly, and pulled Fushimi Roku's pant leg up to the knee.
She saw Fushimi Roku's calf was muscular, and his ankle ligaments were long; he was wearing slippers, and his ankle was visible, without a hint of bruising.
Minamoto Tamako took a heavy breath of relief.
In her mind flashed the frame of Cat Island's corridor, the dog-headed man stood at the end of the hallway, surrounded by gruesome bodies, the ceiling lights constantly flickered, and a cold broadcast sounded overhead—the other party leaped up to the vent like a ghost; she only had time to aim at a retreating calf.
Thank goodness... it's not Mr. Fu Jian...
Fushimi Roku knew what Minamoto Tamako was thinking; he brought this up deliberately, layering a layer of counter-logic, his right foot dodging continuously, arousing Minamoto Tamako's suspicion yet not allowing her to verify—in an emergency, she would only see the truth she wanted.
That's right, it was the left leg that got hurt.
But he pretended that the right leg was injured, creating a small cognitive bias for Minamoto Tamako.
To prevent Minamoto Tamako from realizing this and checking the other leg, Fushimi Roku deliberately blinked and asked in return: "What's wrong? Why do you seem weird?"
"Ah, it's nothing..."
Minamoto Tamako quickly pulled Fushimi Roku's pants leg down: "I-I was just a little surprised... Didn't you say you sprained it... I-I don't see any signs of a sprain..."
"Hmm? Then why didn't you believe me when I said I had a headache earlier?" Fushimi Roku slowly sat up, questioning: "Are you hiding something from me?"
"No, nothing... haha... how could that be..."
Minamoto Tamako's forehead was sweating, she quickly changed the subject back to the Perfect Life Rewards Chart.
Since you're not injured, it should be time to work!
"I am injured, you know? Headache, foot pain, stomach ache, I can't move at all!" Fushimi Roku writhed on the sofa like a worm: "You know Stephen Hawking? I'm about to end up like him."
Minamoto Tamako had a 'can't deal with you' expression, annoyed by his unwillingness, she said: "Hawking wrote books even when he was paralyzed! Investigating isn't physical labor, all you need to do is use your brain... At worst, you'll sit in a wheelchair and I'll push you outside!"
Fushimi Roku achieved his goal, but he couldn't just agree to it easily, he needed to make Minamoto Tamako feel that this 'wheelchair' thing was her own strong demand.
So he continued to whine, coming up with various excuses, and finally, after bargaining, reduced the necessary token for the super prize to 22 days (eight days off in a month), then reluctantly agreed.
"Of course, let me be clear, I have no interest in any super prize, I just want to see an interesting murder case in a locked room..."
Fushimi Roku sat up and pouted: "What are you waiting for? Where's the wheelchair?"
Minamoto Tamako snorted, thinking this guy really can argue, obviously he wants it badly but insists he doesn't.
Humph, good thing she was a step ahead!
Minamoto Tamako unfolded the foldable wheelchair and pushed it to the side of the sofa, signaling Fushimi Roku to sit down. The latter, adhering to the principle of not arousing suspicion, acted the lazy bum and demanded Minamoto Tamako lift him onto it, otherwise he wouldn't move.
Minamoto Tamako, exasperated, lifted the wheelchair with difficulty and flipped it onto his forehead: "You're up! Let's go!"
"Ugh, can't take a joke..."
Fushimi Roku grudgingly set the wheelchair down, sat himself in it, lounging lazily like a fifty-year-old man teasing a caretaker. For a smoother reading experience, visit MV&LEMPYR.
Minamoto Tamako snorted and pushed him out the door, took the elevator downstairs, and headed toward the Nakagawara Police Station.
Elsewhere, Kazama Tatsuya and others did not eavesdrop on any explosive news, because Fushimi Roku buying flowers and ingredients was all to please Minamoto Tamako, apart from the unknown use of essential oils, everything proceeded as usual.
"Wasn't Fushimi Roku supposed to be having an affair?"
Kazama Tatsuya and Moriyama Yasurou simultaneously turned and glared at Watanabe Shun a hundred times. The latter quickly typed, explaining that Fushimi Roku usually doesn't buy flowers, he saw last time that on the rare occasion Fushimi Roku gave flowers, he would pick one off the roadside and super casually.
The two then kicked Watanabe Shun out the door, Moriyama Yasurou stayed behind, saying she had something to discuss with Kazama Tatsuya.
Watanabe Shun left with a knowing expression, turning to leave, forcing Moriyama Yasurou to call him back, explaining it's not what he thinks.
So Watanabe Shun's expression turned into a mischievous grin.
Moriyama Yasurou rolled her eyes and simply shut the door, directly laying it out for Kazama Tatsuya, wanting to chat about Fushimi Roku — she witnessed the whole scene of Fushimi Roku's killing spree in the Seven Sins Temple.
"Should we tell Tamako about this?"
Moriyama Yasurou was uncertain, so she sought Kazama Tatsuya's advice. After listening, he sighed quietly: "Don't ask me... Some things, I don't know if I should tell Tamako either."
…
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Minamoto Tamako was pushing Fushimi Roku toward the Nakagawara Police Station.
Colleagues finally got a glimpse of Fushimi Roku, this guy's become a habitual absentee, although he doesn't do much even when he shows up, not coming at all is a bit much.
"Why's this guy sitting in a wheelchair again?"
"Guess he's crippled..."
"Kind of suits him..."
Kinosaki Shoujin, who has been involved in the case, saw Minamoto Tamako return and greeted her, saying the suspect had been brought to the interrogation room, then meaningfully glanced at Fushimi Roku — how had this pretty boy ended up crippled? Could it be the Fujiwara family's doing...
…
Minamoto Tamako pretended not to hear, pushing the wheelchair to the interrogation room door, encountering a threshold, she couldn't push it through, forcing Fushimi Roku to stand, lift the wheelchair over the threshold, and sit back down.
"..."
Witnessing this, Kinosaki Shoujin scratched his head.
Is the Kujo family's heiress playing servant girl to this kid?
…
Minamoto Tamako didn't care about others' opinions, she cheerfully entered the interrogation room and closed the door, eager to continue investigating.
Fujiwara Homare had been waiting in the interrogation room for quite some time, bloodshot eyes and disheveled hair, all his former glory gone.
It's only been two days since they last met, and he's become a downtrodden hobbit.
Minamoto Tamako and Fushimi Roku took seats on opposite sides, as per the rules, at least two officers are required for an interrogation, this session led by Minamoto Tamako, with Fushimi Roku responsible for recording, conducting the criminal police's first inquiry of the suspect.
"Ahem..."
Minamoto Tamako held a fist in one hand and lightly coughed in a showy manner, thinking it was finally her turn to lead the interrogation, she had long been itching from watching Fushimi Roku conduct interrogations.
Before she could greet him, Fujiwara Homare drooped his head and said first: "I want to see a lawyer."
"Huh?" Minamoto Tamako was taken aback.
"I want to see a lawyer," Fujiwara Homare repeated dully: "Until my lawyer arrives, I have the right to remain silent..."